Gas lighter for range oil burners



Sept. 22, 1942. J. DE NlCOLA 2, 4

\ GAS LIGHTER FOR RANGE OIL BURNERS Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (John DeNllGOL a.

INVENTOR ATTEIR'NEY Se a L22, 1942. J. DE NICOLA 2,296,774

GAS LIGHTER FOR RANGE OIL BURNERS Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 69 i /15 4a Y 23 z I 3 24 v ,2 q .5 24 In 20 25 H F1! 1 25 i 47 30 I, II; 4'7 46 47 I I9 I J9'5 Wm xaa w a- ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS LIGHTER FOR OIL BURNER/S John DeNioola, Paterson, N. J. Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,833

6 Claims. (Cl. 158-90) This invention relates to lighting devices for vapor fuel burners and particularly for igniting the oil burners in a domestic combination range employing both gas and oil.

The type of oil burning unit usually employed in a domestic range comprises two burners, each including a series of four concentric, cylindrical walls with flame wicks located between the first and second, and third and fourth cylindrical walls. The space between the second and third walls forms an air duct through which air containing oxygen enters the wick compartments through perforations in the walls for forming a combustible mixture with the oil vapors.

The general method of lighting such a burner manually is to stick a lighted taper down between the walls of the burner until the flame is carried to the wick. This is a particularly slow process and frequently'results in damage to the wicks when the taper is unintentionally forced against the wick too hard. Further, any damaging to the wicks causes an uneven flame which produces soot accompanied by a drop in the efficiency of the burner. The use of a taper for lighting one of the burners in a double burner range is also 'hazzardous, especially when one of the burners has been burning for sometime and a person desires to light the second burner While the stove is still hot. By employing the proposed invention this difficulty is eliminated. Various means for lighting the burners through openings in the base of the cylindrical walls near the wicks, have been provided, including some which employ a gas flame as described in my application Serial No. 349,485, filed August 2, 1940.

The object of the present invention is to pro vide a lighter for oil burners of the type employing a gas flame directed into the oil burner shell. One of the advantages of the proposed device is that the pilot light, employed for igniting the gas lighter flame which in turn ignites the oil burner wicks is not located within the oil burner fire box.

A further advantage is that the pilot light associated with the gas burners on top of the gas stove portion of the range may be employed for lighting the oil burners also. Therefore the necessity of providing a separate pilot light for the oil burner lighter is eliminated.

Another advantage of the proposed design is the position of the lighter in the fire box. When the lighter is not being operated it is located in a position adjacent the wall of the fire box where it will not be subjected to the direct flame from theburning oil. In order to light the burners '5 after turning on the oil supply, one merely ro-'- 'tates the handle of the lighter operating valve which turns on the gas and automatically swings the lighter orifices into position above the burners so that the flame from said orifices will be directed vertically downward into the wick compartments of the oil burners.

When the operation of lighting the oil burners has been completed, the operator merely releases his hold on the valve handle. Upon release of the handle a spring automatically turns the valve and shuts off the gas. At the same time, the rotation of the operatin valve also swings the lighter upward into its normal position when not in use, adjacent the side of the fire box and out of contact with the direct flame from the oil burner.

Another advantage of the proposed lighter is that it may be readily installed on any combination oil-gas range without changing the design of the oil burners shells. In other words since the lighter flame is directed vertically downward between the walls of the burners, no special opening need be made in the base of the burner shell for admission of the lighter flame.

Other objects and advantages of the proposed invention will be pointed out in the detailed description below when read in conjunction with the drawings in which- Fig. v1 is a front elevational view of a combination gas and oil burner range employing my invention.

gFig. 2 is a top plan view of the lighter located in an oil burner fire box.

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view in section of the-flash tube couplingand Fig. 4 is an end view of "the same.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view in section of the lighter in conjunction with a portion of the oil burners.

Fig. -6 is a sideelevation in section of the lighter jet in operation directing a flame into the wick compartments.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the operating valve.

The proposed lighter H is adapted for all types of oil burner installations but especially forcombination gas-oil ranges as illustrated in Fig. 1. When not in use the lighter is normally held in a vertical position 5| (Fig. 1-) adjacent the side of the range 28 or fire box 35 and out of contact with the direct flame from the oil burners 20.

, When the oil burners arebeing lighted the lighter is swung to its horizontal position as illustrated in Fig. 2.

In detail th device includes an operating valve I3 located on the outside of the range 28 or fire box wall 35. Gas is supplied through the line 21 and coupling 3| to the valve I3. The operating handle 32 is fixed to the valve stem 33 which in turn is fastened to the gas tube I9. The lighter II is fastened to and supported by the tube I9 so that any rotation of handle 32 is communicated directly to and rotates the lighter I I. The lighter I I is normally held in its vertical position adjacent the side of the fire box by means of spring 49 or any suitable tension means.

The operating valve I3 is located at the rear of the range 28 illustrated in Fig. 1. Said valve comprises a stem 33, Fig. '7, provided with a conically shaped portion for forming a gas tight seal in body 29. A cap 56 screws to the body 29 enclosing a spring 31 provided for maintaining the conical valve stem 33 snug in its tapered seat. A spring 49 is fastened at one end to the cap 36 or any stationary part of the device, and at the other end is fastened to the valve operating handle 32. The tube I9 telescopes in the valve stem 33 thereby providing means for adjusting their combined length. The tube I9 and stem 33 are fastened by the combination gland nut 52 and ferrule 53. Byreference to Fig. .7 the function of the operating valve I3 may be observed. In Fig. 7 the handle 32 has been presumably raised and held in its horizontal position for lighting the burners as illustrated (see also Fig. 2). Gas for the lighter enters supply line 21 and passes through the valve I3 and is carried by means of tube I9 to the lighter II. As pointed out above, the raising of the handle 32 not only turns on the gas to the lighter II but also swings the lighter to its lower or horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2.

The gas entering the lighter II divides into three paths. Part goes to the lighter jet orifices 23, on each side of the lighter through communications 42 and orifice arms 24. Part goes to the flash jet nozzle 30 through the needle valve orifice 48. The amount of gas entering the nozzle 30 depends upon the adjustment of the needle valve I! by means of the thumb screw 25. An opening I8 in nozzle 30 communicates with the atmosphere and is provided for admitting air into said nozzle 30 for mixing with the gas and forming a combustible mixture. A collar 34 with an opening adapted to coincide wholly or in part with the opening I8, is provided for adjusting the amount of air entering intake I8 for regulating the richness of said combustible mixture.

It should be observed at this point that a flash tube will not function properly unless the correct mixture of gas (combustible) and air (containing oxygen for supporting the combustion) is provided since the burning takes place within a partially confined. space having a limited supply of oxygen. This difficulty is not experienced with flash tubes of short length.

Another feature of my invention is the removable needle valve seat bushing 54. Although the volume of gas entering nozzle 30 may be regulated by means of the needle valve I1 I have found it necessary to provide various sizes of orifices 48, each adapted to a particular type of fuel for proper atomization. The aforesaid features are desirable and practically essential for the proper functioning of the device with fuels of various characteristics. Especially is this so in adapting it for use with either natural or artificial gas regardless of whether the type of fuel employed has a high or low B. t. u. content or specific gravity.

The combustible mixture is carried from the nozzle 30 across the gap 55, which is open to the atmosphere. The mixture then enters the lighter portion 40 of the flash tube which is secured to the lighter body by means 43. I"he mixture proceeds through the flash tube I2 until it contacts the flame of the pilot 26 Fig. 1. Instantly the mixture explodes and flashes back through the tube I2 to nozzle 30. The accumulation of gas within the fire box in the neighborhood of the lighter II causes the flash to be carried to the orifices 23 on each side of the lighter along the path indicated by the arrows 39 Figs. 5 and 6. Therefore at the end of the flash back through the tube I2 the combustible mixture issuing from nozzle 30 has been lighted forming flame I5 Fig. 2 as well as the gas flowing from each of the four lighter jet orifices 23 (forming flame I6 Fig. 6).

Although I have described and illustrated the lighter provided with a gap 55 between the flash nozzle 30 and flash tube I2 for the purpose of allowing a sufficient spreading of the flash back flame in order that it may readily reach and ignite the lighter orifice jets, I realize that the gap might be replaced by a perforated tube or similar device. However, at some point in the neighborhood of the gap 55 the flash tube must have an opening to the atmosphere or a communication to the lighter jet orifices of suflicient size for the flash back flame to contact the lighter jets.

The flash tube I2 may be made of any suitable enclosure although an annealed copper tubing has been found most convenient to facilitate installations and provide the long smooth curves at the bends in order that the flash flame will readily follow the tube at the elbows.

Another necessary feature of the flash tube is to provide means for relieving the pressure in the tube as the flash back occurs. Any type of opening at spaced intervals along the tube is satisfactory and, therefore, I have provided and illustrated round holes 4| for that purpose. Although this difliculty is not experienced with short flash tubes, however, with a long tube I have found that in order to have the burning or flash carried the entire length of the flash tube, it is necessary to relieve the pressure as the flame progresses through the tube. Otherwise the expansion of the gas due to burning will extinguish the flash flame or stop its progress through the tube.

The coupling I4, where the lighter and flash tube adjoin, need not be adapted for holding pressure but nevertheless must provide a close joint. I prefer to use a coupling in the form of a split sleeve I4 with the lower portion 50 fastened to the flash tube I2 and the upper half fixed to the lighter portion 40 of the flash tube. The adjacent ends of the flash tube sections are spaced as illustrated in Fig. 3. Such a coupling has been found particularly suitable to meet the condition of expansion and contraction caused by the variation in temperature in the fire box.

After the gas issuing from the lighter jet orifices 23 has been ignited the flame I6 is injected through the perforations 22 generally provided in the cylindrical walls of most oil burners.

As soon as the wicks have been ignited as described above, the handle 32 of the operating valve may be released. Immediately upon being released the spring 49 will rotate the valve stem 33 which shuts off the gas. The rotation of valve stem 33 at the same time raises the lighter II to the vertical position adjacent the side of the fire box out of contact with the direct flame from the oil burners.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a fire box, one or more oil burners located in said fire box and provided with vertical walls open at the top, a gas lighter including gas jet orifices adapted to direct flames downward through the opening in the top of said oil burner for igniting the oil vapors, means controlled by and associated with the lighter whereby said lighter gas jets are ignited by a pilot light located outside the oil burner fire box, said means including a flash tube extending from the pilot light to the interior of the oil burner fire box, a flash nozzle associated with said lighter for injecting a jet of gas into the fire box end of said flash tube whereby the said gas will be carried through said flash tube to the pilot light, ignited and the flame flashed back through said tube for igniting said lighter jets and nozzle.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a needle valve for regulating the amount of gas entering said nozzle, a removable valve seat bushing associated with said needle valve whereby any size or type of orifice especially adapted for use with a particular type of gas may be employed, and an adjustable air intake coupled with said nozzle for admitting air and forming a combustible mixture with the gas issuing from said needle valve.

3. A device of the type described comprising a combination gas and oil burning range including a fire box, one or more oil burners located in said fire box and provided with vertical walls open at the top, a pilot light associated with the gas section of the said range, a flash tube extending from said pilot light to the interior of the oil burner fire box, a series of openings in said flash tube communicating with the atmosphere, a coupling connecting the lighter and flash tube and comprising a sleeve split axially in two halves, the upper half being fastened to the lighter portion of the flash tube and the lower portion being fastened to the fire box end of the flash tube, a lighter located in the oil burner fire box and including lighter jet orifices for directing flames through the opening in the top of the oil burners and lighting the same, a flash nozzle associated with said lighter for injecting a jet of gas into the fire box end of said flash tube whereby the said gas will be carried through said flash tube to the pilot light, ignited and the flame flashed back through said tube for igniting said lighter jets and nozzle, a needle Valve for regulating the amount of gas entering said nozzle, removable valve seat bushings associated with said needle valve whereby any size or type of orifice especially adapted for use with a particular type of gas may be employed, an adjustable air intake coupled with said nozzle for admitting air and forming a combustible mixture with the gas issuing from said needle Valve, a communication to the atmosphere between the end of nozzle and the flash tube where the flash back may fan out and thereby ignite the jet of gas issuing from the lighter jet orifices, a valve for controlling the supply of gas to said lighter said valve being adapted for manual opening and automatic closing when released by the operator, and means connecting said valve and said lighter whereby the opening of said valve moves said lighter to a position above the oil burners for lighting the same, and the automatic closing of said valve returns said lighter to a position adjacent the wall of the fire box and out of contact with the oil burner flame.

4. A device of the type described comprising a fire box, one or more oil burners located in said fire box and provided with vertical walls and open at the top, a pilot light located outside said fire box, a flash tube extending from said fire box to said pilot light, a movable gas lighter located inside said fire box and normally positioned along the side of the same away from the burners, said lighter including lighter jets for directing a stream of gas downward through the open end of the burners for igniting the oil vapors, a flash jet for injecting a mixture of gas and air into said flash tube whereby said combustible mixture will be ignited by said pilot light and flashed back for igniting said lighter jets, and means for moving said lighter to a position above the oil burner whereby said flash nozzle is moved into communication with said flash tube and the lighter jets are positioned over the openings in the topof the oil burner.

5. A device of the type described comprising a fire box, one or more oil burners located in said fire box and provided with vertical walls and open at the top, a pilot light located outside said fire box, a flash tube extending from said fire box to said pilot light, a movable gas lighter located inside said fire box and normally positioned along the side of the same away from the burners, said lighter including lighter jets for directing a stream of gas downward through the open end of the burners for igniting the oil vapors, a. flash jet for injecting a mixture of gas and air into said flash tube whereby said combustible mixture will be ignited by said pilot light and flashed back for igniting said lighter jets, and a valve for controlling the gas supply to said lighter and mechanically connected to said lighter whereby the manual opening of the gas supply automatically moves the lighter to its operative position above the burners and places the flash nozzle in communication with said flash tube.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 characterized by the valve for controlling the gas supply to said lighter being adapted for manual opening and provided with means for automatically closing the same and moving the lighter to a position away from the top of the burners and out of direct contact from the oil burner flame when the valve operating handle is released.

JOHN DE NICOLA, 

